TV Archive: Tidy Up Together

V Archive: Tidy Up Together is a cute little addition to the tidy up genre that is emerging on Steam. It interests me a lot more than the fantasy games that seem to be the focus of this genre but unfortunately there were a couple of things that just let it down. Ultimately, I’m giving TV Archive the Thumb Culture Silver Award. It’s definitely a good game and I did enjoy playing it. There just isn’t much you can do with this genre to make it stand out.

TV Archive: Tidy Up Together knows exactly what it wants to be. It isn’t trying to reinvent the simulation genre. There isn’t a huge narrative hiding beneath the shelves, nor is there some elaborate endgame waiting for you once you’ve sorted the final tape. The satisfaction comes from watching the archive gradually take shape. A chaotic floor becomes an organised collection. An empty shelf fills up. A section that initially looks overwhelming eventually becomes perfectly tidy.